Gambling Addiction & Recovery Support Group
Compulsive gambling is an urge or addiction to gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. A preferred term among many professionals is problem gambling, as few people described by the term experience true compulsions in the clinical sense of the word. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others rather...
Has or does anyone take medication to help with this gambling addiction? I know that a lot of people with a gambling addiction suffers from some sort of depression, or other disorder. I am wondering do i need to be on medication. Will medication help? I keep engaging in this stupid behavior I know how it will end when I go to the casino , I will gamble and gamble until I have nothing left . Even if I win i will still continue to play and play. Friday i got paid gambled away $480.00 that I needed to cover some bills I set up to be deducted from my account. I was going to withdrawl the only $200 I have in a ROTH IRA acct. to cover some bills...But I didn't instead I took another $300.00 out the bank to go gamble to try and when it back. I lost it ,but then I somehow hit for $584.00 that was my chance to replenish my account back. But instead I continue to sit there and play it all back. What is the point of gambling and trying to win if I continue to keep losing. I was seeing a therapist for about 3 visits maybe I need to go back
There is no way to quit the easy way. There is no silver bullet. No operation or medication that will take care of it all. Most of us problem and compulsive gamblers have to make many life style changes and do some introspection to find the roots to our gambling. Frequently it is about grief and loss. Many times, if one takes the time with the help of a therapist, to look closely at childhood, grief, trauma, loss, resentment, and regret we can begin to overcome those and learn about the things that trigger an urge to gamble. (Triggers are different for everyone.)
To begin with though we just need to stop. Then get through 90 to 120 days of withdrawal symptoms. After the withdrawal our brain chemicals, that gambling gets all askew, begin to level off to normal levels.
Your first step may need to be to put some barriers between you and your money. I no longer have credit cards, I carry less than $20 with me, initially I would leave my checkbook, ATM card and even my ID with a friend for days at time so that I did not have access. I have also used a payee, someone that I give my paycheck to, they pay all my bills and give me an allowance. (Professional payees are bonded and insured for your protection.)
Support groups help, exercise helps, meticulous self-care helps, talking about your feelings helps, learning to love ourselves again helps. (Gambling more than we want makes for self-loathing, which is not helpful for any kind of real internal growth.
Keep coming here and educate yourself as much as possible, you can do this. The alternative is ending in bankruptcy, isolation, suicide and/or prison.
Prayers and ((hugs))